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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill amends provisions regarding half-day kindergarten to ensure that a student
10 attending half-day kindergarten receives instruction in all of the kindergarten core
11 competencies.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 ▸ amends provisions regarding half-day kindergarten to ensure that a student
15 attending half-day kindergarten receives instruction that meets minimum standards
16 for half-day kindergarten that the State Board of Education sets;
17 ▸ requires a local education agency governing board to:
18 • inform parents of the availability of the half-day kindergarten option; and
19 • provide a designated half-day kindergarten class when half-day enrollment
20 reaches a certain threshold; and
21 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
22 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
23 None
24 Other Special Clauses:
25 This bill provides a special effective date.
26 Utah Code Sections Affected:
27 AMENDS:
28 53G-7-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapters 347, 467
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30 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31 Section 1. Section 53G-7-203 is amended to read:
32 53G-7-203. Kindergartens -- Establishment -- Funding -- Assessment.
33 (1) Kindergartens are an integral part of the state's public education system.
34 (2) (a) Each LEA governing board shall provide kindergarten classes free of charge for
35 kindergarten children residing within the district or attending the charter school.
36 (b) Each LEA governing board shall:
37 (i) provide a half-day kindergarten option for a student that comprises the minimum
38 standards for half-day kindergarten that the state board establishes, in accordance with
39 Subsection (4)(a)(iii), if the student's parent requests a half-day option[
40 (ii) (A) inform parents of the availability of the option to register for a designated
41 full-curriculum half-day kindergarten option at the time of all kindergarten registration, by
42 email, posters, or other announcements when a parent requests kindergarten registration; and
43 (B) provide the option to register for a designated half-day kindergarten option at the
44 time of registration;
45 (iii) provide a dedicated kindergarten class specifically designated as a half-day
46 kindergarten class when enrollment of half-day kindergarten students at an individual school or
47 a regional school exceeds a minimum of 18 students;
48 (iv) when enrollment of half-day kindergarten students at an individual school exceeds
49 a minimum of 18 students, designate the school as a half-day kindergarten provider for the
50 improvement of recruiting teachers that prefer half day teaching;
51 (v) inform parents regarding the additional educational resources and opportunities
52 available to parents who select the half-day kindergarten option; and
53 (vi) ensure that a half-day kindergarten student who is registered in a class that
54 includes full-day kindergarten students receives instruction that at least meets the minimum
55 standards for half-day kindergarten that the state board establishes, in accordance with
56 Subsection (4)(a)(iii).
57 (c) Nothing in this Subsection (2):
58 (i) allows an LEA governing board to require a student to participate in a full-day
59 kindergarten program;
60 (ii) modifies the non-compulsory status of kindergarten under Title 53G, Chapter 6,
61 Part 2, Compulsory Education; or
62 (iii) requires a student who only attends a half day of kindergarten to participate in dual
63 enrollment under Section 53G-6-702.
64 (3) Kindergartens established under Subsection (2) shall receive state money under
65 Title 53F, Public Education System -- Funding.
66 (4) (a) The state board shall:
67 (i) develop and collect data from a kindergarten assessment that the board selects by
68 rule; [
69 (ii) make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
70 Rulemaking Act, regarding the administration of and reporting regarding the assessment
71 described in Subsection (4)(a)(i)[
72 (iii) establish minimum standards for half-day kindergarten.
73 (b) An LEA shall:
74 (i) administer the assessment described in Subsection (4)(a) to each kindergarten
75 student; and
76 (ii) report to the state board the results of the assessment described in Subsection
77 (4)(b)(i) in relation to each kindergarten student in the LEA.
78 (5) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the state board shall require LEAs to
79 report average daily membership for all kindergarten students who attend kindergarten on a
80 schedule that is equivalent in length to the schedule for grades 1 through 3 with the October 1
81 data described in Section 53F-2-302.
82 Section 2. Effective date.
83 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2024.